


Little Old Me

by jaskiersvalley (connorssock)



Series: When We Were Young [1]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Caregiver Eskel, Little Jaskier, Little Lambert, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, Soft Lambert (The Witcher), Spanking, caregiver geralt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:40:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26174383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/connorssock/pseuds/jaskiersvalley
Summary: Lambert didn't know what he was doing, not really. All he knew was that sometimes, on the Path, he would find a cave and take a few days to himself. It wasn't something he could do at Kaer Morhen though. Not until Eskel helped him.
Relationships: Eskel/Lambert (The Witcher), Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: When We Were Young [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2062467
Comments: 33
Kudos: 316





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for a prompt on Tumblr.

Life had been cruel to Lambert, or so he thought. What little he had of childhood was spent either cowering from his father or trying to recover from a beating. Kaer Morhen was never much better, there was training and chores before the trials. Then the trials themselves and life never stopped being shit really. He didn’t know any different but Lambert sure hoped it wasn’t like that for everyone. It made him bitter and angry, prickly in the face of anyone who tried to see beyond the hardened shell he had to construct. Nobody would hurt him again, not in the way that it mattered. Lambert could heal from being pelted with stones and chased with pitchforks. But his heart was kept safe, harsh words and humans couldn’t reach it no matter how hard they tried.

It wasn’t like Lambert could even relax in Kaer Morhen much either. There was still training to be done, the keep had to be maintained and the memories of the past haunted him through the empty halls. In short, Lambert was happier out on the Path because there, he could convince himself that it was fine that nobody cared. And it was easier to take a few days to himself on the Path, find a cave when he had the funds to stock up and just exist without any interruptions. Stuffed deep down in his bag was a ragged blanket. It was soft, had been a slightly delirious and impulse purchase. Having fought a leshen, he was not only exhausted, suffering from a post-potions crash, but also hurting, his stomach tender and raw where claws had all but ripped him open. Since then, the blanket had become a guilty pleasure. Sequestering himself away in an abandoned and hidden cave, Lambert could take a day or two to just exist without the pressures of life. Not quite forget but maybe distance himself. He had the process worked out to perfection. Get to a cave, set things out; food, a change of clothes, blanket. Everything he could possibly need for a couple of days. Pulling on the clean clothes was the start of his strange ritual. They weren’t anything special but definitely not practical for a witcher. Comfortable, warm and so far removed from his everyday life, they were a perfect way to bodily forget about his life for a little while.

Those days he spent hidden away were some of his favourite times. Going back to the real world from them was a bittersweet moment. Because Lambert always felt better but worse after it. He didn’t want to return to the harsh realities of his life but at the same time knew he couldn’t run away. Things only got worse when at Kaer Morhen. The precious time to himself was taken away. There was no way Lambert could disappear for even a single day without someone finding him and mocking him for it. So Lambert was stuck, cold and frustrated over winters meaning he got more prickly, drove the other wolves further away because he wanted time to himself which he would never get.

In a way, it worked. Aside from being told what to do when, Lambert was left to his own devices. He snapped and snarled at anyone who dared go near his room. Even so, he still kept his blanket hidden in a travelling bag, stuffed to the very bottom of it each morning and chucked in a messy corner. Nobody could find it there. However, each night he could at least curl up with it, hidden under as many furs and throws as he could gather up to keep out the cold. It wasn’t ideal but it was the best he could do.

Winter had been particularly trying. Geralt had turned up with a nosy bard who was also noisy. Gone was the silence and peace from the old keep. Instead, it was filled with chatter and song almost constantly. There was no reprieve even at night, the sounds of Jaskier thoroughly enjoying Geralt’s company were hard to block out when their rooms were so close. Lambert couldn’t bear it. He sprang out of bed, fussing internally at the cold and pulled all his blankets with him. The furthest tower was difficult to get to when so swaddled in throws and furs but he managed it. Despite the room being small, dark and more like a cave, Lambert felt surprisingly at home in it. It reminded him of all the times he’d hidden away in a cave for a few days. He had his blanket, wasn’t in armour and it had been so long since he’d let himself slip. Falling asleep wasn’t too difficult all of a sudden.

In the morning, he was disoriented and cranky. He’d been so close to what he had been craving but it wasn’t quite enough. Even worse, he could hear familiar footsteps approaching.

“Lambert?” Eskel pulled himself up into the room and took in the sight of Lambert, still bundled up and staring wide eyed. “How come you’re up here?”

The thing was, Eskel was safe. Lambert knew that on a molecular level. While they clashed at times, Eskel didn’t have the bite to his words that Geralt did. And he never took things too far. Sure, he sometimes put Lambert in his place but it was always fair and never done with cold fury. When he didn’t reply in time, Eskel glanced around and his eyes landed on the corner of the blanket clutched in Lambert’s fist, held tightly against his chest.

“It’s nice to see you’ve got yourself a treat. Looks soft.”

Heart in his throat, Lambert tried to hide the blanket with a surge of embarrassment at having been caught. However, words weren’t forming, the swathe of emotions overriding everything else. It was easy to miss the concerned frown on Eskel’s face as he approached.

Too vulnerable, Lambert managed to find his words.

“Go away!” He shrieked. “Go away! I hate you!”

Hurt flashed over Eskel’s face but he retreated. Not that Lambert truly wanted him to go but he didn’t know how else to convey the turmoil in his head. He didn’t want to be mocked or even to be seen as even more of a freak. Well aware he was the youngest, the odd one out because Eskel and Geralt had grown up together, the least favoured by Vesemir, Lambert couldn’t handle any more rejection. Not for seeking comfort in such a way.

Fear of Eskel spreading news of how he found Lambert, he rushed to get ready and hurried downstairs. Nobody gave him a strange look or laughed when they saw him for breakfast though. Training was the same as before and the afternoon was spent brewing. Throughout it all, Lambert expected the teasing to start. Or at least for a few pointed comments to be sent his way about being a hapless pup still, despite all the decades that have passed. However, the most suspicious thing he saw was Eskel and Jaskier talking in low, hushed voices. Unable to pick up on the conversation, Lambert could only guess it was about literature because Jaskier seemed to be talking a lot while Eskel frowned and occasionally took note.

That night, Lambert returned to his own bed, pulling all his throws and blankets back into a haphazard pile to burrow under, their weight a comfort he never could indulge in on the Path. On the side of the bed, there was a new bowl he was certain he didn’t put there. In it were some wax earplugs. Only hesitating for a moment, Lambert put them in and sighed as the noises of the world fell away. No more listening to Jaskier plead, beg, whimper or tell Geralt exactly what he wanted and how. It wasn’t the best night’s sleep Lambert had ever had but it was one of the top ones when only counting the ones he spent at Kaer Morhen.

Over the course of the next couple of days, Eskel seemed intent on talking to Jaskier as well as getting into what looked like sewing. Lambert decided to ignore it, he couldn’t begrudge a hobby to help relax, not when his own methods were so peculiar. Maybe he should have paid more attention because, after dinner one night, Eskel knocked on the door to his room.

“I thought you might like this,” he said and held out something awkwardly.

Lambert could recognise the material as the scraps Eskel had been sewing over the last couple of days. It was clumsy and ugly work but there was no denying that it was a stuffed toy in the shape of a dog. On closer inspection, Lambert realised it was made out of an old undershirt, soft and worn from use. Before Lambert could snarl or get angry, Eskel was retreating, leaving him with the stuffed toy and a whirlpool of emotions. That night, Lambert wrapped himself in the soft blanket and clutched the toy to his chest, face buried into it. It smelled of Eskel, not just from touching but the fabrics themselves were imbued with his scent. No doubt the stuffing of the toy was also from scraps of clothes he no longer used.

Nothing changed. Not in a way that was obvious. Though, if Lambert really thought about it, Eskel was more attentive to his needs. Even tried to serve him breakfast one morning, though he did get growled at for his efforts. Lambert had peculiar quirks, he wasn’t an invalid.

That all changed the night Lambert dreamed. It wasn’t often he did but they were neve pleasant. A scream was clawing at his throat and Lambert tried to breathe through it. He panted, curled up and wishing it was warmer. All he could think about was how nice Eskel had been since finding him in the tower. He’d tried to make things easier for Lambert, giving him the ear plugs, the stuffed toy, looking after him when Lambert hadn’t done anything to deserve it. Before his mind could quite catch up with his body, Lambert’s feet hit the cold stone of the floor. Blanket around him, stuffed dog in hand, he was up and shuffling down the corridor. Stopping outside Eskel’s door, he hesitated.

“Come on in.”

Feeling more than a little pathetic, Lambert knew he couldn’t turn back now. Not when he’d been detected, not when he still felt like the world was closing in around him. Pushing the door open, he stood there, looking into the room, unable to say anything. Thankfully, Eskel seemed more on the ball. He rolled out of bed and gestured at it, lifting the cover for Lambert to clamber in. At a total loss, Lambert did as told, surprised to be tucked in, and the dwindling fire was brought back to life with a gentle ingi.

“Get some sleep,” Eskel rumbled, words vibrating through the air. “I’ll watch over you.”

In the morning, Lambert was flustered, all but running back to his room, chest heaving with panic. He’d let Eskel see him at his most vulnerable. There was no denying things now. The others were going to laugh him out of Kaer Morhen. Never again would Lambert be able to come back, he wouldn’t be able to look his fellow witchers in the eye. Not after revealing just how pathetic and useless he was.

Self-pity could come later. Drawing a few deep breaths, Lambert nodded to himself. He would take the mocking and everything else with as much dignity as he could. Maybe he’ll need to gather food supplies and hide out, find some inaccessible part of the keep and hole up until the end of winter. It wasn’t going to be pleasant but he could do it. Heading down for food, Lambert braced himself for the jeers, the laughter, the whispered comments. As much as he could, he held his head high as he stepped into the room.

It was like every other morning. A few “morning Lambert” murmurs thrown his way but nothing more. Confused, Lambert sat down at the table and grabbed himself some porridge. Everything was the same throughout the day. Maybe Eskel hadn’t had the time to truly go into the details of how pathetic Lambert was. Of how pitiful his neediness could be.

That evening, Lambert was exhausted and he fell into bed, conflicted about just what he was expecting to happen versus reality. It went on like that for a few days, he had worried himself into a state when Eskel pulled him to the side.

“I want to help. What do you need?”

A snarl of “nothing” was met with a steady stare. They watched each other until Lambert couldn’t take it anymore and looked away. He didn’t want to talk about it, didn’t want to admit to being so freakish. More so than a regular witcher. A freak amongst witchers was a new low to sink to.

“Can you show me?”

It was how Lambert ended up taking Eskel back to his room. Hesitantly, without a word, he pulled out the blanket, the soft clothes that he’d kept hidden in his bag and added the stuffed dog to the pile too. Words didn’t come and he had no idea how to explain it all. Thankfully, he didn’t have to.

“You want to let go for a bit? To not worry? To have the weight of the world taken from you.”

Breath hitching, Lambert nodded. That was exactly what it was about. He was stunned Eskel understood.

“Whenever you need time like that. I’d like you to come to me. Let me help.”

Such an offer had to come at a price. Lambert had no idea what Eskel could want in exchange, so he nodded again but swore to never take him up on it. It was too risky, left him too vulnerable. What made it worse was that Lambert felt he couldn’t even indulge at nights anymore, fearing the consequences and the temptation to trust Eskel. So he shoved everything as deep as he could into a ratty bag and hid it. It meant he couldn’t sleep, was more cranky than usual but he couldn’t afford to be weak.

“I want you to go to your room and put on the clothes you showed me,” Eskel told him after lunch one day. “You’ve been unbearable recently and you look like wrung out shit.”

There was something morifying about being told to do that. It didn’t help that Jaskier appeared behind Lambert with a quiet murmur. “Do as you’re told. Eskel will look after you. I’ve taught him the basics.”

Which was just too much to think about. Lambert wanted to protest but Eskel stepped closer and reached for him.

“Be a good boy for me? Please?”

Just like that, Lambert was gone. He marched to his room, unable to shake the feelings that such a simple sentence had given him. A few minutes passed and he felt so very foolish for getting changed and getting his hopes up. However, a soft knock on the door revealed it was just Eskel there. He hadn’t brought the rest of the keep to come and laugh at him in his stupid clothes.

“There you are.” Such gentleness directed at him was both a balm and terrifying at the same time. “How about I tuck you in for a nap? You look like you need it.”

In the caves, alone and trying to figure things out, Lambert had never thought about speaking. Now, he couldn’t bring himself to. However, he shuffled towards the bed, obedient.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

He turned and watched Eskel pull the blanket and the stuffed dog out of the bag. Snatching them, Lambert clutched them both to his chest defiantly.

“I know, they’re yours. Don’t worry. Now, hop on the bed and let me get you warmed up.”

It was everything Lambert never allowed himself to dream about. Eskel was gentle, soft, easing any worries and just there in a way nobody had ever been before. Lambert fell asleep to the sound of Eskel quietly reading, sitting with his back to the door, guarding without having to say so.

From then on, it became a little easier. They never talked about it directly but Eskel slowly got braver. So did Lambert for that matter. He didn’t always sleep in the afternoons he had with Eskel. Sometimes it was just to just lie there and not have to think. Even better was when Eskel found a book of fairytales and offered to read them. They progressed from Eskel on the floor to him sitting on the edge of the bed.

“How’s my baby boy doing?” Eskel asked after a story and Lambert looked up at him with big eyes. A thumb had migrated to his mouth, finding comfort in sucking on it. Pulling it away, he reached for Eskel, not quite sure what he was expecting. A soft “I’ve got you” was followed by Eskel rearranging them, Lambert’s back to his chest, cradled gently against firm muscle. Reaching around him, Eskel picked up the book again. This time, Lambert could follow the story on the page if he wanted to but the temptation to close his eyes and listen was far too great.

The winter passed by like that. He and Eskel had something worked out, even if they never spoke about it. Somewhere along the way, Lambert knew Jaskier had been involved, had probably even made suggestions. It was more obvious when Eskel brought up a tray of food, all cut to small pieces, the crust of the bread dutifully sliced off. Yet, despite all this, Jaskier never said a word. Training and chores were still the same as ever, nobody seemed to think any different of Lambert.

By the time spring warmed the air, Lambert found himself much more centred. He was okay to go back out on the Path. The only thing he didn’t know was whether this was a single winter thing or if Eskel wanted this as much as he did. Only time would tell though. For the year ahead, he was going to have to find caves for when he needed a bit of time away.

Come winter, Lambert apprehensively stepped into Kaer Morhen. He was greeted like he always was. However, that evening, there was a knock on his door and Eskel stepped in, a parcel wrapped in paper in his hands.

“These are for you.”

Unwrapping the parcel, Lambert’s breath caught in his throat. It was a new outfit, soft and warm. Not practical at all but everything he could have ever hoped for. He turned to look at Eskel, lost for words.

“Only the best for my baby boy,” Eskel said and Lambert knew he was going to have another good winter.


	2. Chapter 2

That second winter with Eskel was better than the first. Lambert felt much more at ease with approaching him for quiet time. He didn’t know what else to call it and they never really discussed it. The times Lambert could feel warm and loved without the pressures of the world weighing him down were some of the best. He could freely appear in Eskel’s room with the stuffed wolf and soft blanket and all that would happen was he’d be tucked against a firm, warm chest.

“Jaskier asked if we’d want to do a play date with him and Geralt,” Eskel rumbled one morning as they were chopping wood. The words had Lambert freezing. Geralt and Jaskier. There when he was...when he was...he didn’t have the words for it. Being babied? Feeling little? It all sounded so ridiculous and pathetic. The only reason he allowed himself time with Eskel was because they never really talked about it, nor was he ridiculed. Eskel spoke up again at Lambert’s silence. “I told Jaskier I’d ask you and you have final say. If you say no, that’s absolutely fine.”

“It would just be them? And us?” Eskel nodded, knowing better than the push or placate with false platitudes. “I’ll need to think about it.”

Three days and an evening spent in Eskel’s lap, listening to him hum - that was how long it too Lambert to make up his mind. What he had was a good thing, he could stand to share it with Geralt and live with Jaskier being there too. The next evening, he went to Eskel without his blanket and stuffed wolf and sat down on the edge of the bed. For the rest of his life, Lambert would forever deny that he squealed as Eskel pulled him in.

“I’m not here for that,” Lambert groused.

Eskel simply shrugged and pulled him closer. “I know. I wanted to cuddle you anyway.”

It was the silly things like that which made Eskel so special. Nobody had wanted to cuddle Lambert before, not even as a child. Deciding to ignore that thought, Lambert cleared his throat.

“If Geralt and Jaskier want to, you know-” he couldn’t bring himself to say it, “-then okay. As long as they aren’t here to mock me.”

Arm tightening around him again, Eskel shook his head. “If they so much as look at you funny, I will personally igni their room and all their shit then herd them to the crevice and make them either burn or jump.”

That was a little more bloodthirsty than Lambert was used to from Eskel and he twisted to look up at him, eyes big. “What?” Eskel leaned to rest their foreheads together. “Can’t I protect the one I love?”

Lambert’s face went blank, all emotions shut away at the words. It was impossible. Eskel didn’t love him. Couldn’t love him.

“Hey.” A finger under Lambert’s chin tipped his face up. “No need to say it back. Or even feel it. It’s okay.”

It wasn’t okay but whatever. Lambert surged forward to kiss Eskel. He hadn’t gone to the bedroom with an ulterior motive but they still ended up in a tangle of sweaty limbs and sated smiles.

A few days later, Lambert was sat on a fur in front of a roaring fire. Jaskier had suggested it, saying it usually got so cold in the keep. Inexperience had Eskel going along with Jaskier’s suggestions, trusting him to know how these things usually went. They were in Eskel’s room, the familiarity of it helping Lambert remain at ease. The other two would come to them when ready. Eskel was sat next to Lambert, acting as an overgrown pillow for him to lean against while Eskel quietly read. Somehow the corner of the blanket had migrated to Lambert’s lips and he chewed at it while his other hand fisted the wolf tightly. A soft knock on the door signaled that the other two had arrived.

There was a moment of silence as Geralt walked in with a bag on his shoulder and his hand holding Jaskier’s who was in similar clothes as Lambert. Except his had feet coverings and Lambert’s eyes lingered on them. Silently, Eskel made a mental note to see about finding something similar for him or making it himself if it came to it.

“Eskel,” Geralt nodded at him pleasantly. Then he turned and gave Lambert a soft, gentle smile. “Lambert.”

Aside from the fact Lambert had been expecting their roles to be reversed, it was okay so far. Even Eskel seemed a bit taken aback. Then again, it made sense that Jaskier knew so much about what Lambert might like if he himself had done it before.

Not needing any prompting, Jaskier wandered over and plopped down next to Lambert, eyeing his cuddly toy curiously.

“What you got?”

Instinctively, Lambert shied away and pulled the toy protectively to his chest. While he had been prepared to share a space, share Eskel, the toy that had been made specifically for him, he didn’t want that to be touched by anyone else.

“I wanna see,” Jaskier whined and reached for the toy, making Lambert shy away.

“Jaskier.” Geralt’s voice held a warning tone. “Let him keep his toy.”

Seeing Jaskier pout but back down had Lambert relaxing. For a second Eskel had been worried, ready to call the whole thing off, not prepared to have Lambert be bullied in the slightest into anything he didn’t want. That included sharing.

“Why don’t we have a bit of story time?” Eskel suggested and sighed in relief when Lambert leaned heavily against him in anticipation.

The first story went by without a hitch, Lambert dozed happily, even accepted Jaskier leaning against him. It was a bit of a puppy pile and Eskel was filled with a warmth at seeing them. However, it couldn’t go smoothly. Half way through the second story, Jaskier’s hand gravitated towards the wolf in Lambert’s lap. Of course he hadn’t forgotten about it or even really heeded Geralt’s warning, he simply waited for an opportune time to take it.

Lambert clutched at the wolf with one hand, Jaskier pulled on the leg. It was a brief tug of war while Geralt told Jaskier to let go, only to be ignored. There was the sound of cloth ripping and the leg stayed in Jaskier’s hand while Lambert fell back against Eskel.

“It was a stupid toy anyway,” Jaskier announced like a brat.

“Jaskier-” Geralt’s voice was firm and low, “you apologise this instant!” Not that Jaskier listened. “Say you’re sorry or I will put you in timeout.”

True to his word, Geralt got up and, with laughable ease, picked Jaskier up, setting him down in the corner, squatting down to face him.

“You were naughty. You tried to take a toy that wasn’t yours and ruined it. Especially when you were already told to leave it alone. Three minutes of timeout as punishment. Then you will go an apologise to Lambert.”

The damage was already done though, Lambert was looking down at the toy spilling out scraps of fabric from the hole. His lower lip wobbled dangerously.

“It’s okay,” Eskel tried to reassure him. “I can easily fix that for you. It’s not a problem. He’ll be as good as new soon.”

In the corner, Jaskier shuffled around and got up, not willing to do his punishment. Not that Geralt would tolerate that.

“Go back to your time out Jaskier,” he warned, “or I will put you over my knee.”

The threat had Lambert sniffling. Eskel had gotten up to fetch needle and thread for the wolf so missed it, not even expecting Lambert to react really. Jaskier still refused to do as told. A man of his word, Geralt swiftly pulled him over his lap.

“Two smacks for the two minutes you didn’t do. And three more for being so naughty,” he announced and, without hesitation, the first smack landed on Jaskier’s backside.

The next two followed in rapid succession and a whimper broke the moment. It wasn’t Jaskier though, it was Lambert. Eyes big and wet, they stared in horror at Geralt and Jaskier. However, Geralt didn’t notice, focus on Jaskier and his reactions. Eskel, however, dropped everything to rush to Lambert and cuddled him as he flinched at the fourth smack.

“Geralt,” he hissed, “stop!”

The fifth smack landed as Geralt looked up at Eskel. His eyes drifted to Lambert who was shaking, silently crying. Growing up, Lambert had been hit too many times so seeing the spanking, especially in such a vulnerable state, only brought up bad memories. Despite stopping, the damage was already done and Lambert’s crying, while still silent became even more pronounced. He clung to Eskel who rubbed his back and pulled him into his lap.

“It’s okay, Lamb,” he murmured, focus absolutely on Lambert and the way a thumb had migrated to his mouth, half stifling the hitches of sobbing breaths. Truthfully, Eskel was tempted to call the whole thing off, get Geralt and Jaskier out of the room so he could work on settling Lambert again. This had been a mistake, he should have asked more questions, not assumed it would be Geralt and Lambert having a play date. There would be time to curse himself later, for now, Eskel had a very scared Lambert on his hands.

There was the sound of movement in the room but Eskel ignored it until someone approached. It was Jaskier, looking much more somber, a stuffed rabbit in his hands which looked carefully and beautifully crafted. Of course Geralt would get only the best for Jaskier. A bitter pang on inadequacy shot through Eskel as he looked at the haphazardly sewn wolf made of a cut up old shirt.

“Here.” Jaskier said and thrust out the rabbit towards Lambert who peered out from under Eskel’s chin. When the offered toy wasn’t immediately taken, Jaskier waved it. “Sorry about your wolf.”

Pulling his thumb from his mouth, Lambert looked between the toy and Jaskier. Slowly, as if expecting it to be snatched before he could take it, Lambert reached for it. Once in hand, he yanked it to his chest and hid once more against Eskel’s chest.

“Good boy Jaskier, well done for sharing your toys,” Geralt rumbled from here he was still sitting. “You may have a reward for that when we go back to our room.”

Gradually, Lambert seemed to relax. He turned to look at Jaskier, blinking wet lash rimmed eyes at him. There was a moment of tension when Geralt approached and Lambert whimpered, clutching at Eskel.

“He won’t hurt you,” Eskel reassured but he held Lambert a little tighter all the same.

Crouching down, Geralt looked at Lambert. “I’m sorry if I frightened you, Little One. Do you want us to go?”

For a moment it looked like Lambert might nod. In the end, he shook his head and released his grip on Eskel and the rabbit was held out for Geralt’s inspection.

“That’s a very nice toy.” The rabbit stayed held out. “You want me to take it?”

A nod and Geralt took it with a soft “thank you”, setting it down on the floor next to them. Jaskier had snuggled up against Geralt’s side in the meantime and was sleepily watching Lambert.

“Cuddles?” he asked and Lambert glanced up at Eskel sheepishly.

“Go on if you’d like.” Eskel smiled. “I can fix your wolf while you cuddle Jaskier.”

On the rug by the fire, Lambert and Jaskier cuddled up, rabbit between them. Geralt picked up a book and started reading. Eskel sat with his thigh pressed against Lambert’s back and when he finished the wolf, it joined the rabbit, one ear almost immediately in Lambert’s mouth.

Sitting back, Eskel took a moment to relax. It was all quite nice despite the initial stumbling blocks. In the end, Geralt called it a day when Jaskier started fussing, fidgeting but still half asleep.

“Come on you,” he murmured and took Jaskier’s hand in his. Rabbit, book and everything they brought got packed away. “What do you say?”

“Thank you for having me,” Jaskier said around a big yawn. Lambert waved sleepily at them and Eskel bid them a good evening. Once they were gone, he scooped Lambert up, making sure the wolf was still safe against Lambert’s chest.

It was all too easy to put Lambert onto the bed and slide under the covers behind him. Gently, Eskel tucked them both in and allowed himself to doze behind Lambert until he woke up and things would go on as before.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is: jaskiersvalley.


End file.
